Method of music instruction

ABSTRACT

A method of music instruction can comprise a system in which students receive a different colored wristband upon completing various intervals of training. Each wristband can provide a sense of accomplishment to the student and provide an incentive for the student to continue his/her training. Students can receive the first wristband upon completing three months of lessons, and a different wristband after completing each three month interval thereafter until reaching eighteen months. After eighteen months, a different wristband can be awarded at each six month interval until completing thirty-six months of lessons. Students can also receive certificates and trophies in tandem with the wristbands upon completing certain intervals of training.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/129,430, filed Mar. 6, 2015, and which is incorporated herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to music instruction. In an embodiment ofthe invention, students are awarded physical decorations, such asvarious distinctively colored and/or labeled wristbands, upon completionof various levels of musical training.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Of the many children who begin lessons on a musical instrument, it isbelieved that the majority will quit within the second month ofbeginning lessons. Attrition in the music teaching industry is generallyvery high. Retaining students is typically vital to the success of amusic school. The need to retain music students once obtaining them is aserious economic issue for commercial music schools and independentteachers. Keeping students interested and motivated is typically themost important factor in determining the success or failure of a musicschool.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a method ofteaching music that minimizes student attrition by providing incentivesto students to continue their lessons. These and other objects of theinvention can be achieved in various embodiments of the inventiondescribed herein.

An embodiment of the invention comprises a “MUSICAL LADDER SYSTEM”, inwhich students receive a different colored wristband upon completingvarious intervals of training. Each wristband can provide a sense ofaccomplishment to the student and provide an incentive for the studentto continue his/her training. Students can receive the first wristbandupon completing three months of lessons, and a different wristband aftercompleting each three month interval thereafter until reaching eighteenmonths. After eighteen months, a different wristband can be awarded ateach six month interval until reaching a “master” status at thirty-sixmonths. Students can also receive certificates and trophies in tandemwith the wristbands upon completing certain intervals of training. Thetrophies can be up to three feet in height, and inspire the students tostay with the music school.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the MUSICAL LADDERSYSTEM can include a parent portal software in which parents of studentscan log in and view their child's progress for the next award coming up,teacher notes, important dates, and their child's ‘status’ on theMUSICAL LADDER.

Another embodiment of the invention comprises a method of instructioncomprising the steps of providing an initial lesson to a student,scheduling a first achievement milestone on a date sixty to one hundreddays after the initial lesson, and providing an award to the studentupon reaching the first achievement milestone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the first achievementmilestone can be completion of a predetermined number of lessons by thestudent.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the first achievementmilestone can be a test that must be taken and passed by the student.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the first achievementmilestone is scheduled for ninety days after the initial lesson.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a second achievementmilestone can be scheduled on a date ninety days after the firstachievement milestone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the award can be awristband.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the wristband includesdistinctive indicia thereon.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the distinctiveindicia can include alphanumeric characters.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the distinctiveindicia can include a decorative logo.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of musicinstruction comprises providing an initial music lesson to a student,scheduling a first achievement milestone about three months after theinitial music lesson, and providing an award to the student uponreaching the first achievement milestone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a student can reachthe first achievement milestone by completing a predetermined number oflessons and/or passing a predetermined test.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a second achievementmilestone can be scheduled for three months after the first achievementmilestone, and a third achievement milestone can be scheduled for threemonths after the second achievement milestone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a first plurality ofadditional achievement milestones can be scheduled beginning threemonths after the first achievement milestone, and continue every threemonths until eighteen months after the initial music lesson.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a second plurality ofadditional achievement milestones can be scheduled beginning two yearsafter the initial music lesson, and continue every six months until fiveyears after the initial music lesson.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a third plurality ofadditional achievement milestones can be scheduled beginning six yearsafter the initial music lesson and continuing every year until ten yearsafter the initial music lesson.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the award can be awristband having distinctive indicia thereon. The distinctive indiciacan include alphanumeric characters and/or a decorative logo.

Another embodiment of the invention comprises a non-transitory computerreadable storage medium having programming instructions that, whenexecuted, causes a computer processor to perform a method of operating amusic school. The method can include maintaining student retention datacomprised of how long each of the plurality of music students has takenlessons from the music school, and maintaining instrument data comprisedof which instrument each of the plurality of music students has takenlessons on from the music school. The student retention data iscross-referenced with the instrument data to produce an instrumentretention report showing an average duration of lessons for eachinstrument.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the method includesmaintaining student progress data for each of the plurality of musicstudents. The student progress data can be progress toward an award,teacher comments, and deadlines. A parent portal can be provided bywhich parents of the plurality of music students can log in via theInternet, and view the student progress data for their child.

According to another embodiment of the invention, student source datacan be received and maintained for each of the plurality of musicstudents. The student source data is a source by which each of theplurality of music students has been introduced to the music school,such as personal referral, walk in, Internet website, social media,radio advertising, television advertising, and print advertising. Thestudent source data and the student retention data are cross-referencedto produce a student source report showing an average duration oflessons for each source.

According to another embodiment of the invention teacher data for eachof the plurality of music students is maintained. The teacher data isthe name of the teacher for each of the plurality of music students. Theteacher data and the student retention data are cross- referenced to ateacher retention report showing an average duration of lessons for eachteacher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a method of music instructionaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a method of music instructionaccording to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a method of music instructionaccording to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wristband according to a preferredembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a graph according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION

A method of music instruction according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1, and shown generally at referencenumeral 10. The method is referred to herein as a “MUSICAL LADDERSYSTEM.” In accordance with the MUSICAL LADDER SYSTEM 10, students areawarded physical decorations, such as various distinctively coloredand/or labeled wristbands 20 upon completion of various levels ofmusical training. Each wristband 20 awarded provides a sense ofaccomplishment to the student and provides an incentive for the studentto continue his/her music lessons.

A student receives a distinct decorative wristband upon completingvarious intervals of training. Each wristband for completing eachparticular level of training can have a distinctive color and/or wordsprinted thereon.

As shown in FIG. 1, a student receives the first wristband 20, 30 uponcompleting the first three months of lessons. The wristband awarded tothe student for completing three months of instrumental music lessonscan have “APPRENTICE” written thereon, as shown at reference numeral 20in FIG. 2. Alternatively, a student taking voice lessons can receive awristband that has “SONG BIRD.” A different wristband is awarded aftercompleting each three month interval thereafter until reaching eighteenmonths.

As shown in FIG. 1, the student can receive a wristband 21, 31 labeled“JUNIOR APPRENTICE” upon completing six months of lessons. Uponcompleting nine months of lessons, the student can receive a wristband22, 32 labeled “MUSICIAN.” Upon completing twelve months of lessons, thestudent can receive a wristband 23, 33 labeled “ROCK STAR.” The studentcan also receive a trophy at twelve months. Upon completing fifteenmonths of lessons, the student can receive a wristband 24, 34 labeled“ALLEGRO.” Upon completing eighteen months of lessons, the student canreceive a wristband 25, 35 labeled “VIVACE.”

After eighteen months, a different wristband is awarded at each sixmonth interval until reaching “MASTER” status at thirty-six months. Asshown in FIG. 1, the student can receive a wristband 26, 36 labeled“PRODIGY” upon completing twenty-four months of lessons. Upon completingthirty months of lessons, the student can receive a wristband 27, 37labeled “MAESTRO.” Upon completing thirty-six months of lessons thestudent receives the “MASTER” wristband 28, 38. The student can alsoreceive a trophy at this point.

The wristbands can be made of silicone rubber or other suitablematerials. The assigned names, such as APPRENTICE, MUSICIAN, etc., canbe debossed, embossed, printed, or laser-engraved onto the wristband, oraffixed thereon by other suitable means. Preferably, the wristbands aremade of silicone and the assigned names are debossed with white ink.Alternatively, the wristbands can be made of a metal such as gold,silver, nickel or platinum, or other suitable material.

Each wristband can be a single distinct color, as represented by thewristbands shown at reference numerals 20-28 in FIG. 1, or can bemulti-colored as represented by the wristbands shown at referencenumerals 30-38 in FIG. 1. Preferably, different colors are used, andeach uni-colored wristband 20-28 is a different color. Upon completingeach level of training, the student is given the choice of a uni-coloredwristband 20-28 or the corresponding multi-colored wristband 30-38. Forexample, upon completing the first three months of music lessons thestudent is given the choice of either the solid colored wristband 20 orthe corresponding multi-colored wristband 30. Alternatively, the studentcan receive both the single colored wristband 20 and the correspondingmulti-colored wristband 30 upon completion of each particular intervalof training. Preferably, a substantial portion of each of themulti-colored wristbands 30-38 is the same color as its correspondingsingle colored wristband 20-28. For example, single colored wristband 20can be red, and its corresponding multi-colored wristband 30 can besubstantially red with black sections or lines.

In an alternative embodiment, the wristbands can be awarded based on theamount of time of lessons that have been completed by the student inconjunction with specific tests that must be passed by the student ateach specific interval of time. For example, upon completing threemonths of lessons the student is given his or her first musical test,which must be successfully passed by the student in order to get thethree month “APPRENTICE” wristband 20, 30. Likewise, after completingsix months of lessons, the student is given a second test, having a moreadvanced degree of difficulty than the previous test given at the threemonth juncture. If the student successfully passes the second test, heor she is awarded the six month “SENIOR APPRENTICE” wristband.

The system 10 can include a parent portal software in which parents ofstudents can log in and view their child's progress for: the next awardcoming up, teacher notes, important dates, and their child's ‘status’ onthe MUSICAL LADDER.

It is critical that the first test and reward be provided when thestudent has completed three months of lessons. Applicant has found thata majority of music students become frustrated and give up on learningtheir instrument within the first two months of lessons. As such, a goaland reward provided at the three month mark, gives an incentive tostudents to persevere through the critical second month, therebydramatically increasing the rate of retention. At the first trainingsession, the student's first test should be scheduled with theinstructor for three months after the first session.

This test can be reinforced by the parent portal that parents andstudents can access to anticipate and prepare for the first three monthtest. Then students prepare for tests every three months or six monthsthereafter.

Applicant has determined that the above time benchmarks (three months,six months, nine months, twelve months, fifteen months, eighteen months,twenty-four months, thirty months and thirty-six months) are critical tomaximizing music student retention.

Student retention can be vital for a music school, as it results instudents taking more lessons over a longer period of time therebyincreasing revenue. Increased retention rates also increases the numberof referrals of new students. The MUSICAL LADDER SYSTEM 10 can provide acompetitive marketing advantage as parents seek out schools that rewardstudents in this unique way.

The MUSICAL LADDER SYSTEM 10 can be a significant market game changerfor the music lesson industry as children are often unable tocommunicate with their parents due to their maturity as to “how” theyare progressing in their musical training. The MUSICAL LADDER SYSTEM 10solves this problem via its strategically timed award achievementcalendar and online parent notification system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of musical instruction according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the invention. A student receives the firstwristband 120, 130 upon completing the first three months of lessons,and the wristband awarded to the student for completing three months ofinstrumental music lessons can have “APPRENTICE” written thereon, asshown in FIG. 2. The student can receive a wristband 121, 131 labeled“SONG BIRD” upon completing six months of lessons. Upon completing ninemonths of lessons, the student can receive a wristband 122, 132 labeled“MUSICIAN.” Upon completing twelve months of lessons, the student canreceive a wristband 123, 133 labeled “ROCK STAR.” The student can alsoreceive a trophy at twelve months. Upon completing fifteen months oflessons, the student can receive a wristband 124, 134 labeled “ALLEGRO.”Upon completing eighteen months of lessons, the student can receive awristband 125, 135 labeled “VIVACE.”

After eighteen months, a different wristband is awarded at each sixmonth interval until reaching “PRIMA” status at sixty months. As shownin FIG. 2, the student can receive a wristband 126, 136 labeled“PRODIGY” and a trophy upon completing twenty-four months of lessons.Upon completing thirty months of lessons, the student can receive awristband 127, 137 labeled “MAESTRO.” Upon completing thirty-six monthsof lessons the student receives a wristband 128, 138 labeled “MASTER”and a trophy. Upon completing forty-two months of lessons, the studentcan receive a wristband 129, 139 labeled “SUPERIOR.” Upon completingforty-eight months, the student can receive a wristband 140, 150 labeled“CHAMPION” and a trophy. Upon completing fifty-four months of lessonsthe student can receive a wristband 141, 151 labeled “SUPERSTAR.” Uponcompleting sixty months of lessons, the student can receive a wristband142, 152 labeled “PRIMA” and a trophy.

According to another embodiment of the invention, shown generally atreference numeral 101 in FIG. 3, the wristband awards can continuebeyond five years. As shown in FIG. 3, wristband awards can be awardedon an annual basis from years six to ten. Upon completion of six yearsof lessons the student can receive a wristband 142, 152 labeled “BRAVO”.Upon completion of seven years of lessons, the student can receive awristband 143, 153 labeled “ADEPT.” Upon completion of eight years oflessons, the student can receive a wristband 144, 154 labeled “MARVEL.”Upon completion of nine years of lessons the student can be awarded awristband 145, 155 labeled “ACE.” Upon completion of ten years oflessons, the student can be awarded a wristband 146, 156 labeled“ARTIST.”

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, each wristband caninclude a decorative logo as shown at reference numeral 221 on wristband222 in FIG. 4.

It should be noted that while preferred embodiments of the invention aredescribed above as using wristbands, the invention is not so limited.Alternatively, other accessories, such as scarves, necklaces, bracelets,and rings can be used in place of the wristbands.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a method ofoperating a business, such as a music school. A music school owner cancollect and maintain data regarding how many months each student hasbeen a student with the school, and using this data generates “studentretention” reports. The music school owner can collect and maintain dataregarding which media source (e.g., Internet website, print mediaadvertisement, radio advertisement, television advertisement, andpersonal referral) initially brought each student to the music school.Cross referencing this data with student retention information for eachstudent, “media spend” reports can be generated showing how many monthseach student has been with the school based upon the media source thatbrought them to the school. The “media spend” report can provide dataregarding which media sources are most effective at attracting studentswho remain at the school the longest, and which media sources tend toattract students with high attrition rates. As such, the “media spend”reports can provide guidance to the music school owner as to which mediasources to invest resources in. For example, the media spend report mayreveal that students who initially discover the music school by theschool's Internet website stay with the school on average six monthslonger than students who discover the school by a radio advertisement.

The music school owner can collect and maintain data regarding how manymonths each student has been with each teacher. Using this data,“teacher retention” reports can generated, which show teachers of theschool are performing at the highest level with the least studentattrition.

The music school owner can collect and maintain data regarding whichinstrument each student is playing and cross reference that data withdata regarding how many months each student has been with the school togenerate “instrument retention” reports. As such, the “instrumentretention” reports can show which instruments are more likely to havestudents with higher retention, and which instruments are likely to leadto earlier attrition. The music school owner can collect and maintaindata regarding how many months all students have been with the school inorder to generate “school wide retention” reports.

Another embodiment of the invention comprises a non-transitory computerreadable storage medium adapted for maximizing efficiency of a musicschool. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium can becomprised of software comprising programming instructions that, whenexecuted, causes a computer processor to access and analyze various dataregarding the music school and generate a variety of reports relating tothe music school. The reports provide guidance to the music school ownerthat can help maximize profitability of the music school.

The software program includes programming for receiving data regardinghow many months each student has been a student with the music school,and storing this data in a student retention database. Using this datathe software causes a computer processor to generate “student retention”reports. The software program includes programming for receiving dataregarding the means by which each student initially came to the musicschool (e.g., Internet website, social media, print media advertisement,radio advertisement, television advertisement, personal referral,walk-in), and storing this data in a student source database. Thesoftware cross references this data with student retention informationfor each student, and generates “student source” reports showing howmany months each student has been with the school based upon the mediasource that brought them to the school. The “student source” report caninclude a graph as shown in FIG. 5. The “student source” report canprovide data regarding which media sources are most effective atattracting students who remain at the school the longest, and whichmedia sources tend to attract students with high attrition rates.

The software can receive data regarding how many months each student hasbeen with each teacher, and store this information in a teacherretention database. Using this data the software can generate “teacherretention” reports showing which teachers of the school are performingat the highest level with the least student attrition. The software canreceive data regarding which instrument each student is playing, andstore this data in an instrument retention database. The software cancross reference the information in the instrument retention databasewith the information in the student retention database, and generate“instrument retention” reports.

The software can receive and maintain data regarding each student suchas, the child's current status/level on any one of the MUSICAL LADDERsystems 10, 100 described above, and other dates such as the student'snext upcoming award, teacher notes/comments, and importantdates/deadlines. The software can provide for a “parent portal”, inwhich parents of students can log in via the Internet, and view theirchild's progress toward the next upcoming award, teacher notes/comments,important dates/deadlines, and their child's ‘status’ on any one of theMUSICAL LADDER systems 10, 100 described above.

The software can include a “teacher portal”, in which each teacher canlog in, review his or her roster of students, set dates for tests, sendnotes to parents, send email notifications to parents, and list recitaldates. The software can include an “administrators portal” by whichschool administrators can log in, review the roster of students, set thedates tests, send notes to parents, send email notifications to parents,list recital dates, edit teacher test dates, etc.

A method of music instruction and a method operating a music school aredescribed above. Various changes can be made to the invention withoutdeparting from its scope. The above description of various embodimentsof the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only andnot limitation—the invention being defined by the claims and equivalentsthereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of instruction comprising the steps of:(a) providing an initial lesson to a student; (b) scheduling a firstachievement milestone on a date sixty to one hundred days after theinitial lesson; and (c) providing an award to the student upon reachingthe first achievement milestone.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein the first achievement milestone comprises completion of apredetermined number of lessons by the student.
 3. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the first achievement milestone comprises a testthat must be taken and passed by the student.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the step of scheduling a first achievement milestone ona date sixty to one hundred days after the initial lesson comprisesscheduling the first achievement milestone ninety days after the initiallesson.
 5. The method according to claim 4, further comprisingscheduling a second achievement milestone on a date ninety days afterthe first achievement milestone.
 6. The method according to claim 1,wherein the award comprises a wristband.
 7. The method according toclaim 6, wherein the wristband includes distinctive indicia thereon. 8.The method according to claim 7, wherein the distinctive indiciacomprises alphanumeric characters.
 9. The method according to claim 7,wherein the distinctive indicia comprises a decorative logo.
 10. Amethod of music instruction comprising the steps: (a) providing aninitial music lesson to a student; (b) scheduling a first achievementmilestone about three months after the initial music lesson; and (c)providing an award to the student upon reaching the first achievementmilestone.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein reaching thefirst achievement milestone comprises at least one selected from thegroup consisting of the student completing of a predetermined number oflessons by the student, and the student passing a predetermined test.12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising scheduling asecond achievement milestone three months after the first achievementmilestone, and scheduling a third achievement milestone three monthsafter the second achievement milestone.
 13. The method according toclaim 10, further comprising scheduling a first plurality of additionalachievement milestones beginning three months after the firstachievement milestone and continuing every three months until eighteenmonths after the initial music lesson.
 14. The method according to claim13, further comprising scheduling a second plurality of additionalachievement milestones beginning two years after the initial musiclesson and continuing every six months until five years after theinitial music lesson.
 15. The method according to claim 14, furthercomprising scheduling a third plurality of additional achievementmilestones beginning six years after the initial music lesson andcontinuing every year until ten years after the initial music lesson.16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the award comprises awristband having distinctive indicia thereon, the distinctive indiciacomprising at least one from the group consisting of alphanumericcharacters and a decorative logo.
 17. A non-transitory computer readablestorage medium comprising programming instructions that, when executed,causes a computer processor to perform a method of operating a musicschool that has provided lessons to a plurality of music students, themethod comprising the steps of: (a) maintaining student retention datacomprised of how long each of the plurality of music students has takenlessons from the music school; (b) maintaining instrument data comprisedof which instrument each of the plurality of music students has takenlessons on from the music school; (c) cross referencing the studentretention data with the instrument data and producing an instrumentretention report showing an average duration of lessons for eachinstrument.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable storage mediumaccording to claim 17, wherein the method further comprising the stepsof: (a) maintaining student progress data for each of the plurality ofmusic students, the student progress data comprising one or moreselected from the group consisting of progress toward an award, teachercomments, and deadlines; (b) providing a parent portal by which parentsof the plurality of music students can log in via the Internet, and viewthe student progress data for their child.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein themethod further comprises the steps of: (a) receiving and maintainingstudent source data for each of the plurality of music students, thestudent source data comprising a source by which each of the pluralityof music students has been introduced to the music school selected fromthe group consisting of personal referral, walk in, Internet website,social media, radio advertising, television advertising, and printadvertising; and (b) cross referencing the student source data and thestudent retention data and producing a student source report showing anaverage duration of lessons for each source.
 20. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein themethod further comprises the steps of: (a) receiving and maintainingteacher data for each of the plurality of music students, the teacherdata comprising at least one teacher for each of the plurality of musicstudents; and (b) cross referencing the teacher data and the studentretention data and producing a teacher retention report showing anaverage duration of lessons for each teacher.